It's a great living in Levin – Arizto's Teresa Haley

Teresa Haley believes in signs – and not just the multitude of which she has stuck a 'sold' sticker on over the years.

One of Arizto's key acquisitions in mid-2024, having now already completed well over half a dozen sales in her hometown of Levin as well as the nearby town of Shannon, Haley recalls the tipping point when she decided it was time to change the primary colour of her preferred brand to green.

Having achieved great success with her then-brand in her second career in real estate, Haley had wanted a little more independence when it came to how to deliver better service to her clients.

She had been in phone discussions with local recruiter Nicky Vallender for a while about the merits of joining New Zealand's fastest growing agency, without committing.

But it was while in the midst of those chats that while driving home Haley made up her mind.

"I had gone past a lemonade stand, and behind was one of the old Arizto signs – so I thought, 'that is a sign...a literal sign'."

As a mark of her philosophy of 'client first', Haley still worked right up until the changeover for her home owners listed under her previous company – helping on one property under a conditional contract in her final week, even though she knew under that company's rules she would not receive her share of the commission after her departure.

"That's important – just because you're moving agency doesn't mean you should leave clients.

"I believe other agents will come, they're waiting to see what I do.

"I'm Arizto all the way right now – when I commit to something, I do it 100 percent."

That commitment comes from when the self-confessed "cheeky" farm girl, brought up in the rural village community of Ohau, signed up for the Air Force at the age of 16 – operating out of the nearby RNZAF Base Ohakea.

"I never believed I was going to go, but they said, 'you've signed the documents and you've got a start date'.

"It was the best thing to happen to me."

Having learnt early that being rebellious is not an admirable trait, thanks to the hard military drills along with punishments like painting curbs and jogging around the base with pack and rifle, Haley developed discipline and her focus on completing tasks.

While the 'cheeky' is now gone, even today Haley will always challenge status quo if she believes there is a smarter or simpler way to doing work without compromising on quality and delivery.

After the Air Force came a banking career, and then her first venture into real estate with PGG Wrightson.

However, as the mother of four children, a cancer diagnosis for her husband Steven meant it was time to consider a role with fixed hours and a salary, so for 12 years Haley honed her knowledge of her region and its people while working at the Horowhenua District Council.

Responsible for a staff of 17, Haley's extensive knowledge of municipal processes, town planning, and the financial needs of locals has proved invaluable for her move back into real estate.

"It was a great grounding thing for me to learn about life.

"I really believe that customer service in any business is paramount.

"You need to make it right, because it's you're last transaction [that counts].

"I make sure I keep on top of all the local government changes."

Haley later transitioned into a rural recruitment job, but when the Covid-19 epidemic saw that pathway close, she re-did her real estate papers to join forces with another agency alongside her stepmother - a highly respected agent and good friend in the late-Margrit Searle.

"I actually forgot how much I love it," Haley said of her return to the industry.

"Margrit was an incredible person. Her influence was 'always think about them before you think about yourself'."

Searle passed away in July of this year from cancer.

After their initial partnership, Haley had transitioned into solo operator who grew a dedicated base of home owners.

She has found switching to Arizto with the brand's cutting edge technology has only strengthened her ability to provide sellers and buyers with great service, combined with her experience of an estimated 130 sales transactions.

Having a working knowledge of the regulations, dating back to her time at council, Haley finds she can now process negotiations quickly without over-thinking the details which come with excessive paperwork – which is part of the reason 'traditional' agencies require higher sales commissions.

"The system for people actually works.

"I did a deal today in a cafe, we got to an agreement in an hour or two.

"I'm very open and honest with my clients.

"Saving people thousands of dollars, it actually made me feel good."

Much like Searle did for her, Haley now also passes on her knowledge to up-and-coming Horowhenua salesperson Digi Patel, who in fact was able to assist her on getting a house under contract right after switching brands.

"She's doing a great job, just doing things with a great system."

In addition, her husband Steven will soon be joining her to expand on their business, which reflects how important Levin could be in the future for anyone with an eye to the real estate scene.

Only an hour's drive to Wellington or less than 45 minutes to Palmerston North, Levin's population of around 20,000 could grow exponentially – especially since the completion of Transmission Gully and the ability, post-Covid, of more professionals to work remotely for Wellington businesses.

A medium house sale price of $535,000 in August 2024 is an upward incline on $525,000 in July, or the $500,000 of 12 months before, but well within reach plus equity left over for those looking to sell in the capital and move further out for an easier lifestyle.

A projected 2000 new houses will need expanding urban infrastructure to support the residents that fill them, while Haley explains that a common query about her listings is whether the homes have office space.

She also says in Horowhenua-Kapiti you have the choice – a 15 minute drive to the beach, or if the day's too hot, 15 minute drive to the lake.

"I think Levin is New Zealand's best kept secret. If you do need something more, it's in reach.

"I know there is some big stuff coming our way.

"We've been stable here for quite some time, even in a down market.

"If they buy in Levin, it's a fairly safe bet at the moment."